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Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Interview With Game Producer Shinichi Tatsuke and Steam Deck Hands-On Preview

A deep dive into the SaGa series often begins with its extensive library across past console generations. For me, Romancing SaGa 2 on iOS served as my introduction nearly a decade ago, initially presenting a steep learning curve due to my JRPG preconceptions. Today, however, I'm a devoted SaGa fan
By Thomas
Jan 30,2025

A deep dive into the SaGa series often begins with its extensive library across past console generations. For me, Romancing SaGa 2 on iOS served as my introduction nearly a decade ago, initially presenting a steep learning curve due to my JRPG preconceptions. Today, however, I'm a devoted SaGa fan (as evidenced by the image below), and was thrilled by the recent announcement of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, a complete remake for Switch, PC, and PlayStation.

This dual-feature review involves my hands-on experience with an early access Steam Deck demo of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, coupled with an interview with Game Producer Shinichi Tatsuke (also behind Trials of Mana's remake). Our conversation covered the remake, lessons learned from Trials of Mana, accessibility, potential Xbox and mobile ports, coffee preferences, and more. The interview, conducted via video call, has been transcribed and edited for conciseness.

TouchArcade (TA): What's it like remaking beloved titles like Trials of Mana and now Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven?

Shinichi Tatsuke (ST): Both Trials of Mana and the Romancing SaGa series predate the Square Enix merger, hailing from the Squaresoft era. They're legendary Square titles, and remaking them is a tremendous honor. Both games, originally released nearly 30 years ago, offered significant room for improvement. The Romancing SaGa 2 remake was particularly engaging due to its unique, enduring gameplay systems. Even today, these systems remain distinctive, making a remake compelling for modern audiences.

TA: The original Romancing SaGa 2 was notoriously challenging. I personally experienced a game over within ten minutes! The remake offers multiple difficulty settings. How did you balance faithfulness to the original with improved accessibility, especially for newcomers experiencing the SaGa series with modern visuals for the first time?

ST: The SaGa series' difficulty is well-known, attracting a dedicated fanbase both domestically and internationally. Some consider this difficulty integral to the series' identity, while others find it a significant barrier to entry. Many are familiar with SaGa but haven't played due to perceived difficulty.

To address this, we introduced adjustable difficulty levels: Normal and Casual. Normal caters to standard RPG players, while Casual prioritizes narrative enjoyment. Our development team included core SaGa fans, ensuring a balanced approach. Think of it like adding honey to spicy curry – the original Romancing SaGa 2 is the spicy curry, and Casual mode is the honey, making it more accessible.

TA: How did you balance the original experience for veterans with quality-of-life improvements? How did you select modernization features while maintaining challenge for experienced players?

ST: The SaGa series isn't solely about difficulty; it's also about understanding the game mechanics. The original lacked visible information, such as enemy weaknesses and defense stats, forcing players to deduce them. We viewed this not as challenging, but unfair. The remake reveals weaknesses, making the experience fairer and more enjoyable. We addressed other overly difficult aspects to create a balanced modern experience.

TA: Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven runs exceptionally well on Steam Deck. Considering my experience with Trials of Mana on various platforms, including mobile, was the game specifically optimized for the Steam Deck?

ST: Yes, the full release will be compatible and playable on the Steam Deck.

TA: Can you comment on the development timeline for Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven?

ST: I can't provide specifics, but main development began towards the end of 2021.

TA: What lessons from the Trials of Mana remake informed the development of Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven?

ST: Trials of Mana taught us player preferences regarding remakes. For example, soundtracks: players generally prefer arrangements faithful to the originals, but with enhanced quality due to modern technology. We offered a choice between original and rearranged tracks in Trials of Mana, a feature carried over to Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven.

Visuals differed: Mana characters are smaller and more adorable, while SaGa characters are taller and more serious. We used lighting effects for shadows in SaGa, unlike the texture-based shadows in Mana, maintaining a realistic aesthetic. We leveraged past experience while also innovating.

At this point, I expressed appreciation for the English-language "Romancing SaGa 2 Primer" video.

TA: Trials of Mana eventually released on mobile. Are there plans for Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven on mobile or Xbox?

ST: Currently, there are no plans for those platforms.

TA: Finally, what's your coffee preference?

ST: I don't drink coffee; I dislike bitter beverages. Beer is also not for me.

Acknowledgements to Shinichi Tatsuke, Jordan Aslett, Sara Green, and Rachel Mascetti.

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven Steam Deck Impressions

Receiving a Steam key for the pre-release demo filled me with excitement and apprehension. The trailer looked fantastic, but Steam Deck compatibility was uncertain. Fortunately, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven not only runs flawlessly on the Steam Deck OLED, but my demo experience made me reconsider PS5 or Switch versions. The quality is exceptional.

The game's visuals and audio are stunning on Steam Deck. The remake gradually introduces core mechanics, offering quality-of-life improvements and new audio options. For newcomers, it's an excellent introduction to the SaGa series, while veterans will appreciate the enhancements. Even on the original-difficulty setting, the challenge remains.

Visually, the remake surpasses expectations, potentially exceeding Trials of Mana's remake (though personal preference plays a role). The Steam Deck port is surprisingly polished. Audio options include original and remake soundtracks, English and Japanese audio, and various graphical settings. I achieved near-locked 90fps at 720p on my Steam Deck OLED with mostly maximum settings. I used English audio for my playthrough, but plan to try Japanese later.

I eagerly anticipate the full game's release and exploring the console versions. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a must-have for RPG fans. I hope this sparks interest in other SaGa titles, and urge Square Enix to consider SaGa Frontier 2 next.

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven launches October 24th on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PS4. A free demo is available on all platforms.

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